Qaeda-Iraq Link U.S. Cited Is Tied to Coercion Claim

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 - The Bush administration based a crucial prewar assertion about ties between Iraq and Al Qaeda on detailed statements made by a prisoner while in Egyptian custody who later said he had fabricated them to escape harsh treatment, according to current and former government officials.

Maybe true, maybe not.
In any case, an interesting piece of information or disinformation, and no question torture is a bad policy.